And that -- despite all the early-season, talk-radio hysteria of chicken, beer, and inmates-running-the-asylum carryover from last year -- is why Pedroia thinks the 2012 Red Sox are different than their '11 predecessors.

"We got a great group of guys, and we're not worried about individual results," he told Zaloumis. "It's all about team.

"We saw last year when we signed a lot of big-name guys and traded for Adrian Gonzalez that not a bunch of individuals can win, 'cause we didn't even make the playoffs. We're trying to put the team in front of all the individual players and guys are doing that."

For now, they're doing it without Pedroia as he recovers from a thumb injury.

"I feel fine," he said. "It's just one of those things where I have to have it calm down . . . It's kind of like a guy that hurts his hamstring or tears a muscle in his hamstring. I'm just treating it that way and trying to get back out there."

So you're day-to-day? asked Zaloumis.

"Yeah, basically. All the swelling's getting out of there and once that calms down I'm going to get a guard fit for me and try to go out there and hit."

Manager Bobby Valentine joked that his shorthanded team might have to turn to catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Kelly Shoppach as middle infielders in a crisis, an idea that Pedroia, ah, didn't warm to.

"Put it this way: If something happens, there's more of a chance that I'll go in at catcher than they'll go to play second base or shortstop," he said with a laugh. "I don't think I'd let that happen to the guys. I'd go out there with this splint or something if that happens."